Defying Fate
by icewater-angel1
Summary: My first attempt at Ff9 so please be nice about reviews. Chapter 3 Where oh where has Flare gone? Zidane has his fight with Black waltz one and the group appraches Dahli! that's about it. . . please read and review! enjoy!
1. Crisis

Hey there people!! This is my first ff9 fic so please be nice about reviews cause I love them! Well this starts before the game and continues through it. The plot has been twisted and characters and towns added as well as species. Anything that is not from the game I own and you may not use without my consent which if you ask for you well most definitely receive.  
  
Icewater_angel: Okay so when does this fic start?  
  
Zidane: Whenever you start to type it!  
  
Icewater_angel: But I don't wanna type!  
  
Garnet: Oh please do!  
  
Zidane: Why do you want her to type up that monstrosity?  
  
Garnet: So that I may have one of the most front most seats to enjoy the total and most utmost embarrassment of Icewater_angel.  
  
Zidane: Ummm. . . Dagger English next time please. Icewater could you please translate?  
  
Icewater: Well to put things short she wants me to type up the story so that people can make fun of it. *ponders * at least that's what I think she meant.  
  
Zidane: On with the fic!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
All was quiet on the deck of one of the most beautiful airships ever created crowned the Lady Sari. Or at least it was quiet until. . .  
  
"It's going to blow!" Blaze shouted as he ran out of the second and smaller of the two engine rooms of the Lady Sari. As he ran onto the deck a large explosion followed him. As he caught his balance and started running around the corner which is when he noticed the crumpled form of Nadine. He ran towards her and dropped onto his knees next to her.  
  
Her eyes were closed, her dirty blond hair had blown over her face. The twenty-year old girl wore a bright purple top with a belt tied around her waist and black pants that ended at her knees.  
  
"Nadine! Nadine wake up!" Blaze shouted as he shook her shoulders slightly and she opened her eyes after a few seconds.  
  
"Blaze what happened?" She asked as she put a hand to her forehead that was bleeding just below her horn. She stood up and took in her surroundings and the expression on her face turned from puzzled to utter horror. "Dad's airship man he's going to kill me!"  
  
Blaze was around six foot one, and fairly muscular for an eighteen year old boy. He had jet-black hair, a light tan and to top it all off red eyes. Blaze wore an orange muscle shirt and blue jeans, over top of that was a black cloak that went down to the ground and dragged a little. The most odd thing about him was the silvery horn that grew out of the middle of his forehead.  
  
"Where's Flare?" Blaze asked as soon as Nadine had finished. Silence followed.  
  
"Last time that I saw her she was . . ." Nadine trailed off, she couldn't find the words to tell Blaze what had happened.  
  
Blaze grew impatient as Nadine struggled for words; he lightly gripped her shoulders and gave her a shake. "Where is she? Where is Flare?" He forced her eyes to meet his own panic stricken ones.  
  
"She's in the engine room... I'm sorry..." Her voice trailed off as she picked up a parachute from the floor and started to untangle it but it didn't matter Blaze was already on his feet and off.  
  
"Holy shit!" Blaze cursed as he stared at the engine room, which was now completely engulfed in flames. However when he was half way there, he was met with a large explosion and had to hit the deck to avoid being killed by the debris.  
  
"FLARE!" Blaze shouted as he got to his feet and weighed his chances of survival if were to burst into the room, when he heard a faint cough. That made up his mind for him, if she was alive he wasn't leaving until he at least tried to help her. He was about to burst through the flaming door, and then he heard a faint whisper in a very familiar voice.  
  
"Diamond Dust!" The angelic voice whispered, but it still echoed through the burning halls. Blaze hit the deck again, and turned his head toward the door to watch. Blue crystals of ice formed around the edges of the door and putting out the fire as the froze the wooden frame, then the crystals and the door shattered into hundreds of little pieces and fragments.  
  
Out of the shadows of the hallway emerged Shiva carrying out a fifteen-year-old girl. Once the two of them were safely on the deck Shiva put the girl down as she bowed to her and disappeared. She wore an aqua green tank top and blue jeans with read gloves and matching shoes. Her dark brown hair had wonderful red streaks in it and it fell neatly to her waist. She had bright sapphire eyes and a silver horn protruding from her forehead. As Blaze gazed into her eyes he saw how unemotional she was but reminded himself that she went through so much the day that Maiden Sari had been attacked almost ten years ago.  
  
The girl then flipped her hair. "I still hate airships." She then ran over to meet Blaze and when she got there dusted herself off and kissed him on the cheek. "That's incase we don't out of here alive!" She then stepped away and waited for him to say something.  
  
Blaze was at a loss of words, how do you describe it when you've lost hope only to have it return brighter than it had been. So he said all that he could think of. "Flare... you've always been different." He told her before nodding and running off to get their backpacks, and Flare to get their weapons.  
  
As Flare arrived at the wall where the weapons hung, she grabbed two belts and clipped them around her waist. She then grabbed the two daggers mad out of silver with sapphire handles with opals set in them and sheathed them in the belts. Flare picked up her white mage's cloak and threw it on then pulled down the hood. The sword from the wall glowed a little as she held it so she whispered to it.  
  
"Relax Atrean, he fights for you still." She sighed as the sword stopped glowing. So she picked up Nadine's bow and quiver of arrows then turned and ran to Blaze and handed Atrean to him. He gave her two bags, an old brown backpack, and her own bight red one. She then turned and ran over to Nadine, handed her the bag and set the bow and quivers near her feet as she finished folding the parachute.  
  
"Since the majority of my eidolons can't fly, and I don't have enough mp to call on the one that can I will use the chute. You two will summon and I'll see you later." With that she snatched up her bow and arrows and jumped up. "Well lets get going." She shouted, just as she and Flare stood up there was another explosion that made her fall over board and hit her head on the side of the ship on her way and it sent her falling down to Gaia unconsciously.  
  
So she didn't see when Nadine jumped off and floated slowly to Brumicia. However more importantly she didn't see Blaze jump out after her (with out thinking of course) before summoning and she didn't see the streets of Liblium far beneath her either.  
  
  
  
: Tantalus Theater, Theater District, and Liblium:  
  
"Everyone to the blasted meeting room!" Baku shouted as he returned from the Grand Castle and his talk with Regent Cid. The gang stopped their gossip and card games to watch him storm into the conference room. They had just started their gossip and card games again when Baku let out a roar. "NOW!" and hearing the panic in his voice they started to walk into the room and take their assigned seats. They were soon all waiting intently for him to start the speech that they all knew was coming.  
  
"Now today the Regent assigned us a mission, and Dammit this time we're doing it right. As you all know next month we are supposed to perform 'I want to be your canary', for her Royal Highness Princess Garnet's sixteenth birthday." He finished with a quick glance towards a model of Alexandria Palace.  
  
"So who plays who?" A 15 year-old Kate asked.  
  
"My guess is Kate is Cornelia, and I'm Marcus" Marshall asked Baku who let out a long hearty laugh then looked to Marshall and shook his head happily.  
  
"Only if I want to loose my job after this performance." Baku looked around the table in dismay, and then to keep Baku in an almost goon mood, Blank, Marcus, Chinna, and Zidane all burst out laughing.  
  
Marcus suddenly stopped laughing and turned to face Baku. "I'm not stuck with lead again, am I?"  
  
"Damn straight you are boy, you're the best I've got." Baku started to laugh a little as Marcus hung his head. "And Kate, you're Cornelia, Blank the traitor, Zidane his best friend, and Cinna you're Marcus's cousin. Understood, good, did I leave anyone out?" Baku finished as he looked around at the determined teenagers. 'This is why I work with kids all that determination.' He thought to himself. 'That and they make the best thieves.'  
  
"You forgot me, am I King Leo?" Marshall asked.  
  
"Sorry forgot about you, you're costumes with Ruby, bless her soul, always there to lend me a hand! I'm Leo, Tantalus tradition." Baku told Marshall and Kate, since they had only been with him for a year, and hadn't had to perform 'I want to be your canary'.  
  
"COSTUMES!!! You put your best actor on costumes?" Marshall shouted at Baku who started to laugh again.  
  
"Marshall, you stuck up egomaniac, you can't ACT!" Baku roared at him. "The only reason that you are at this table is because you are dating the head actress." He finished with a quick glance at Kate who at the moment was a lovely shade of magenta.  
  
"So is there a change of plans?" Cinna asked  
  
"Yeah, and a big one at that? Cid wants us to bring the Princess back to Liblium with us, so we ALL have to behave ourselves!" he finished and everyone knew that the comment had been directed towards Blank and Zidane, so all eyes were now fixed on Blank. Only because Zidane seemed to have disappeared, until he let out a whoop of joy.  
  
"Zidane Tribal, get down from that fan this instant!" Kate shouted up when she spotted him. His tail was wrapped around the base of the ceiling fan his arms and legs waving around in the air, and then all eyes were on him.  
  
"What the hell are you all starring at?" Zidane shouted down at them. His blonde hair falling over his eyes and down his face.  
  
"Well." Blank started to explain to his best friend, but had to stop at a loss for words. "You just jumped ten feet into the air!" With the last comment Zidane leapt down from his not-so-comfortable position.  
  
Zidane took a look at all of the Tantalus newbies, and was amazed at how little they seemed to about the princess Garnet. "What the hell is the matter with you people! Don't you live a real life? Haven't you ever seen the princess?" Zidane was practically shouting by now, he took a glance at Baku to see if he was in trouble. Baku seemed to be enjoying watch Zidane almost make a fool of himself.  
  
"I heard that she was cute." Marshall trailed off slowly, muttering something about not knowing if the source was reliable or not. "Wait a second, my brother told me that she was . umm how did he put it, really hot?" He then let out a squeal as Kate elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
"I have heard that she is quite beautiful." Kate admitted as she turned her glance onto Zidane, before speaking again. "Well enlighten us Zidane. How would you describe her?" Kate asked him sweetly.  
  
"She is to put it easily the hottest babe on this continent!" Zidane shrugged as he explained it, to him it was just common sense.  
  
"I'm not so sure, not many come as hot as my Kate." Marshal replied as he put an arm over Kate's shoulders. He then continued to annoy Zidane by casting a dignified gaze in his direction.  
  
*~* Zidane's POV *~* 'Just because I was found on the streets with no memory when I was seven, is no reason for him to think he's better than I am. Or is it... I mean, I'm just a little street rat, I do deserve to get pushed around to remind me of my place as the scum of society. What the hell am I thinking! I hate it when I do this!'  
  
*~* *~*  
  
"Well it's true, weather you believe it or not." Zidane spoke up once he made that stupid voice in his head shut-up. He then returned his attention to Baku, who by now was a little annoyed at being ignored for so long.  
  
It was Kate who finally broke the silence a few minutes later. "So, how do we get her out, I heard that her mother wouldn't let her leave the castle anymore, so why would she let her come to Liblium?" Kate asked in a curious tone.  
  
"We're drugging her, with sleeping weed." Baku, and the rest of the gang could see an inner battle going on in Kate, it was so intense that it showed on her face.  
  
"Sorry Boss..." Kate said as she bit her lip. She then stood up, as did Marshall and the two of them turned to walk out. "I'm not participating in any plan that could possibly harm royalty, but since it was commanded from the Regent I won't report it. I quit!" With that she turned and stormed out, Marshall on her heels.  
  
"I guess that they both quit..." Cinna trailed off as he tried to ease the tension in the room. Blank then nodded to confirm it and then waited for reality to set in for the others.  
  
"Dammit!" Baku shouted at the door that Kate and her boyfriend had walked out of only two or so minutes before. "Now we need a new lead! Where the hell do you find an actress that damn good on short notice?! His voice was at a controlled tone until he brought his fists over his head and then crashing down onto the table. "Eiowwchieee!!!" Baku shouted up at the ceiling.  
  
"Relax, Boss, calm down!" Cinna shouted sounding concerned for their Brumician leader.  
  
"Blank go and put out the sign. Zidane, we need the beginner 'I want to be your canary' scripts." He then motioned towards the door and the two boys nodded and ran out.  
  
"Boss, maybe we should ask Ruby to do it. Play Cornelia I mean, who else can learn all the lines in two freaking weeks?" Marcus shouted over he was trying to sound upset, but if he convinced boss to use Ruby. Then maybe, just maybe he could get Baku into switching his roll with Blank, he knew Blank had a thing for Ruby.  
  
"We can find someone, hey Boss. . . We'll find someone right?" Cinna asked as Zidane came in with an armful of books that were all labeled the same 'I want to be your canary, for beginners'.  
  
"Here you go... " Zidane said as he dropped the books onto the table with a soft thud. Just then Blank came back, and leaned on the wall panting for breath.  
  
"They're here." Blank stated with worried expression on his face, "They're trying to break the door down of something, I was afraid that they were going to kill me!" He trailed off as the others offered only looks of pity or amusement.  
  
"Well let's get this over with..." Baku said as he stood up and started towards the door. His 'boys' or so he called them set up their game faces and marched out with him, the marched right past the door, and into the stage room. Where they all took the assigned seats, Baku in the middle, Zidane on his left, Marcus on his right, Cinna next to him, and Blank was next to Zidane, and then there were the two empty chairs that formerly belonged to Marshal and Kate.  
  
"Ummm... who is going to let them in?" Marcus asked seeing as no one volunteered.  
  
"They one who lets them in stands a fair chance of being trampled to death my boys!" Baku spoke up as a grin spread across his features. "So it shall be the fastest, he stands the best chance of getting back here alive!" As he finished the fingers flew and pointed at whom the owner thought was the fastest. Four fingers were pointed at Zidane, his own he had jabbed out randomly and was pointing a Cinna. Who was incredibly chubby for a nineteen- year old and couldn't beat a three-legged dog in a race.  
  
"Zidane it is!" Marcus announced in that tone that drove Zidane up the wall. Zidane hung his head in defeat and walked up to the large set of wooden doors and pulled it open just a bit and turned tail and ran. Just missing getting hit by the door as it almost sung off its hinges as around twenty girls came running into the stage room .  
  
"They're here!" Zidane announced as he slumped into his chair panting for breath while Baku roared with laughter. The five judges ( Blank, Baku, Zidane, Cinna, and Marcus) took their assigned seats before explaining the way that the scoring was given.  
  
The first girl walked up onto the stage and the auditions commenced. "My name is Clare, and my skills consist of cooking and singing." She said and then blushed as Baku asked her to sing a verse of any song. . . and upon doing so she was asked to leave the building. Things went on much in the same fashion for the next few minutes until Jen took the stage.  
  
  
  
Flare was falling fast down to the cobble stone streets of Liblium. When she did wake up she was only fifty meters off the ground, and still falling fast. " But I don't want to be a pancake!" Flare shouted as the wind whipped the hair into her face and messing up her cloak.  
  
She didn't know what to do she was panicking and for the first time in almost ten years she was truefuly afraid. A warm wind picked up and blew across her face it almost seemed to comfort her. It was then that Flare remembered what her mother had told her so long ago. "When you fear the what is to come pray to the gods not the eidolons. For as powerful as an eidolon is it is only as strong as its master." Flare repeated the words that her mother had told her and started to pray to the god of wind, she prayed to Suveil. Flare chose her words wisely if she angered him it would be the end of her . . . death by pancake she shuddered at the thought.  
  
The winds picked up and Flare relaxed Suveil favored her today. Her eyelids grew heavy for she had gone past her mothers advice, she did not pray so that hopefully Suveil would hear her she channeled all of her energy directly to him so he would hear her loudly and fast, and talking to a god is tiring. Flare was struggling to stay conscious when the saw the pain of glass she was about to crash into she covered her head with her arms and hoped that her friends were fairing better than she was.  
  
  
  
A new girl named walked onto the stage and courtsyed politely. " My name is Jen Fern. I enjoy singing and acting." She told them as she handed Baku a resume.  
  
"That is a very impressive resume Jen . . ." Baku said in his best know-it-all tone. " Would you mind singing us a verse?"  
  
"No not at all!" Jen replied and then continued to sing a verse of her favourite song 'somewhere out there'. Zidane jumped out from his chair and started to circle her making her feel uneasy.  
  
"Eight!" Zidane told them very enthusiastically. "I rate Jen an eight on the Garnet scale!"  
  
"Well then welcome to Tantalus Jen!" Baku said happily as he shook her hand. "And as for the rest of you . . ." There was a menacing gleam in Baku's eyes now. "Get out of my theater NOW!!" Baku roared with laughter, as did Cinna. When the girls ran for the exit screaming.  
  
"What did you do that for?" Blank asked as he waved his arms around in the air. "We needed two!"  
  
"We'll get Ruby to play Cornelia, and don't you ever raise your voice at me again!" Baku shouted. Jen who by now was more than a little confused decided to make her curiosity known.  
  
"Excuse me but are you two related?" Jen asked politely. All eyes were now fixed on Blank to see his reaction to the question . . . he simply turned to face Baku who shook his head. Meaning that they couldn't trust Jen quite yet.  
  
"I guess that you could say that . . ." Blank trailed off still holding his hands out in front of him.  
  
Just then there was the sound of shattering glass as winds hurled into the room. All eyes flicked from window to window looking for the broken one and what had broken it. Just then glass started to fall on them it was the skylight that had broken!  
  
"Shit!" Baku shouted as he pulled down his goggles, Zidane shielded his eyes with his tail, Marcus pulled his bandana over his face, Cinna hid under the table, Jen curled into a ball and Blank just stood there starring up at the broken skylight. All of a sudden a large bundle of cloth landed in his out stretched arms causing he's knees to buckle from the sudden gain of weight.  
  
"Oh God . . . Bland is that a person?" Zidane asked his mouth gaping open.  
  
"Oh it's a person alright!" Blank said as he pushed off the hood of the cloak. When the hood fell it revealed a girl with brown hair and red streaks. The feature that caught his eye however was the silvery horn that spiraled out of her forehead.  
  
Zidane was about to poke her horn out of curiosity when Jen grabbed his hand. She pushed his hand into his chest and shook her head. "Leave the poor dear alone." Jen whispered as she saw the figure wasn't awake.  
  
"Blank bring her here!" Baku was also trying to whisper but worry and anger would not allow him to. Blank shifted the weight of the girl onto one arm as he noted that she was fairly light for a girl between the ages of fourteen and fifteen.  
  
"Wait!" Marcus whispered franticly and as he was their first aid specialist Blank did as he was ordered. "Take her pulse first." Blank took to fingers and gave Marcus the 'like-this' look. After seeing Marcus nod Blank took the two fingers and was about to check for a pulse on her neck but never did as just then her eyes snapped open.  
  
Blank found himself caught up in the gaze of two beautiful sapphire orbs, unable to stop the gaze he simply said. "I think she's alive."  
  
"How do you know did you take her pulse yet?" Marcus asked out of concern.  
  
Blank looked down at the gorgeous girl in his arms. "Can you walk?" He asked her softly and she nodded her head. Blank slowly stood her up and let go of her once he was sure that she could stand. She turned to face Baku at the head of the table.  
  
"Hello my name is Flare. I'm sorry for bothering you, I'll be leaving now." Flare turned to leave when she turned around she bumped right into Blank. "I'm sorry!" She said and she looked into his eyes, no wait she didn't cause he's wearing a belt so she can't!  
  
"It's alright . . . are you alright?" Blank asked back. Flare didn't answer as her exhaustion had caught up with her and she fell into Blank unconsciously but she use able to say one word . . .  
  
"Thanks . . ." That was the one word that Flare managed to get out. Blank scooped her up in his arms and walked over to Marcus.  
  
"She's got a fever . . . a bad one . . . give her a day to recover." Marcus announced grimly as usual.  
  
"Go put her in Kate's old room. Baku told them as they watched Flare's prone form. Marcus and Zidane left with Jen just behind them.  
  
" So now you have four sons and a daughter . . . however will you manage?" Marcus said in a teasing tone.  
  
" I guess I'll have to lower your pay!" Baku replied cheerfully.  
  
"No not that our pay is low enough!!!!!" Cinna shouted in reply.  
  
"Shut up Cinna that girl needs her sleep!" Baku whispered a little on his edgy side.  
  
"How bad is she?" Cinna asked. Silence. "Well?"  
  
"Bad. . ." Marcus replied.  
  
"How bad?" Baku asked.  
  
"She. . ." Marcus hesitated "She might not survive this fever." Just then Jen joined them.  
  
"Hey ummm. . . Blank I think. . .well ummm. . . he wants to know when she'll get better." Jen was very uncomfortable talking to Marcus like this.  
  
"Flare sure is cute!" Zidane stated as he walked towards his friends. "But man I think Blank has a crush or something! He's so worried about her!"  
  
"She'll be fine tomorrow. . . don't worry Jen!" Marcus told her and she nodded gratefully before walking away.  
  
"She's not doing good is she?" Blank asked as he approached them. All he received for an answer was the sad shake of Baku's head.   
  
Well that's it for chapter one! Please review if you read it! I'm not afraid of flames if that's what you want to send me. If you send me flames make sure you read it. 


	2. Birthday Bash

Okay yes I know, I am a lazy @$$, I know that already. I don't need reminders. I'm not sure yet but I think that this is going to be chapter two of defying fate. Sorry for not updating sooner if there is actually anyone who reads this.  
  
Okay, cuz I am so lazy and a slow typer I put this story on fast forward. Last chapter was how they met Flare, and what happened to her friends. This is in Alexandria, when the game begins I do hope that you enjoy, if you don't please tell me why in your review.   
  
Chapter Two Birthday Bash  
  
Flashbacks flooded her mind as she whipped tears from her eyes. She knew that this was no day to be upset. Who wanted to spend their sixteenth birthday cooped up in a castle? Not her any ways, she wanted out. She wanted to be free, like the birds that graced her with their presence on her windowsill. This was why she admired them, if they didn't want to be some where they didn't hesitate to leave. She wished to be like them, to spread her wings and fly. Wings in her eyes were made of love, and she had yet to find someone, she had no wings.  
  
"Your highness?" Beatrix's voice reminded Garnet of where she sat, and who she was.  
  
"Yes?" Garnet's sweet voice replied.  
  
"Are you ready for the play?"  
  
"Yes." Garnet replied as she rose gracefully from her chair by the window. "Beatrix what is the term that they use in town for a party?"  
  
"I believe it is a 'bash' your highness." Beatrix said with a smile. She examined the girl who was becoming a beautiful young woman. She carefully placed a glittering Tiara on her head and stepped back to admire her. "Simply beautiful." She said in a half whisper.  
  
Garnet glanced quickly into the mirror; feeling pleased that in her mind's eye she didn't look half bad, but she let a few strands of hair fall free of the Tiara's hold. "Sometimes," She started in no more than a whisper. "I wish that I could escape this fancy prison and have a 'bash'." She cast a worried glance at Beatrix hoping that the loyal general had not heard her. Such a remark was considered treasonous, and now days she didn't know how her mother would react to such a snide remark.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
"Flare?" Zidane asked as he and Blank walked towards her.  
  
Flare hadn't heard his calling; she was trapped reliving a memory from her childhood. Her silver horn gleamed in the moonlight. Her brown hair fell neatly to her waist; red streaks were barley visible in the dim light.  
  
"The play starts soon," Blank started quietly. He noticed that her sapphire eyes that were starring off into nowhere were glazed over with tears. "Baku bought a ticket for you. Best seat in the house, if your exclude the royalty."  
  
Continuing to fight the tears that threatened to flow free, Flare watched her memories that flooded her mind. Leaning against the outer do of the Prima Vista the memory as well as being a reminder of who she really was, also played the role equivalent of a terrible night mere.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
Wearing a white summer dress that ended just above her knees, she felt the warm breeze play with her hair. The sun's rays making her highlights stronger, more vibrant, just how her father liked them. She turned to face him, standing tall he waved the boat off as he turned back to her. Blue eyes glittering like jewels, red hair messy and out of place.  
  
"They'll be back around three Flare, don't worry." He said looking down at her.  
  
"I hope so." She said as she hastily wiping the tears away from her eyes.  
  
"Let's go for a walk." He said taking her hand in his the two started to walk down the beach. Flare giggled as the sand sunk through her toes, tickling her bare feet.  
  
"Can we go to the temple?" Flare asked looking up to face him.  
  
"I suppose so." He said as they turned and started the short walk to the eidolon wall.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
"Flare!" Blank said swooping down and shaking her shoulders.  
  
"What?" Flare said in a mildly surprised tone.  
  
"You looked like you were dead, except that you were crying." Zidane said giving her a hand up.  
  
"Oh sorry. I was just thinking." Flare said as she stood up and walked over the railing.  
  
"The play starts soon, Boss sent us to asked us to tell you that if your leaving, now's the time." Blank said quietly.  
  
"Thanks bro." Flare said as she punched a fist into the air and called for the King of dragons.  
  
"Be careful," Blank said as he stepped back to allow Bahumat space to land. "Are you sure he's safe?"  
  
"Yeah, he's fine. Just a little disappointed, he was hoping for a fight." Flare said as she climbed awkwardly onto the powerful dragon's back.  
  
"One day you're going to have to tell me how all of this summoning stuff works." Zidane said as he tossed Flare's bag up to her.  
  
"It'll be hard, but I'll try." Flare said as she smiled down at them.  
  
Bahumat's wings rose suddenly into the air. The air shattered as her brought them down again, they lifted off the deck and shot through the air like a cannon. In under a minute there was nothing but a dot of them left in the sky.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
"What's that?" A noble in the audience asked as a faint trail glittering dust from Bahumat's wings lingered in the sky.  
  
Leaning forward slightly them man behind her answered. "Most likely it is the signal for the commencement of the fireworks." He said choosing his words wisely and adding a light accent from Dali. His thoughts, however, were much different from his vocalized opinion. 'Another summoner. It wasn't in the plan, but hopefully I can work this to my greater advantage.'  
  
"You're right Sir!" The young woman exclaimed in a gleeful tone as she pointed towards the side stage where the musicians started a lively tune and a few men scrambled about trying to organize the fireworks. "Look's like they aren't quite ready yet!"  
  
'Of course they aren't, and why should they be. That was not a signal for them but a signal of my success that shall begin tomorrow. Does the queen really understand the power the princess possesses?' He thought to himself.  
  
The play began earlier than planned thanks to the accidental signal. Somehow the play began smoothly.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ ______  
  
"Have I met you before?" Zidane asked as he ducked to attempt getting a look at the girl's face, the girl that he knew was Princess Garnet.  
  
"No I don't believe so." She said as she fiddled with the sleeves in a nervous fashion.  
  
"Are you sure?" Zidane asked taking a step closer.  
  
"I--- I have to go now!" She said as she ran past him onto the spiral staircase, knocking down Blank and continued at her fast pace.  
  
"Who was that?" Blank asked as he stood up slowly.  
  
"Blank you idiot! That was Princess Garnet!" Zidane shouted loudly.  
  
"I'm no idiot you shit face!" Blank retorted.  
  
"You're calling me drunk?" Zidane asked raising an eyebrow in amusement.  
  
"Yeah I guess so." Blank said shrugging, so the two brothers turned and jogged down the hall in search of Princess Garnet. Their previous argument was all but forgotten.  
  
"You do know you're a lot nicer when Flare's here." Blank told him in a humorous tone.  
  
"That's 'cause I'm trying to win her over." Zidane said with a shrug.  
  
"Win her over from what?" Blank asked as a knight in rusty armor approached them.  
  
"From you."  
  
"I'm not the one in love with her." Blank said quietly.  
  
"Why not?" Zidane asked in an annoying tone.  
  
"I'm just not, and even if I was there's nothing I can do." Blank said with a shrug.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, she's not ready to be loved by you Zidane."  
  
"Why not?" He shot back.  
  
"Can't you see it?" Blank asked him and Zidane shrugged in turn. "She's clinging onto a memory that she doesn't want to forget, and it hurts her to hold it so close. But, for her to love someone, she'd have to forget it, and she won't allow it."  
  
"She's just like a sister to you, isn't she?" Zidane asked.  
  
"You've got it."  
  
"YOU TWO!" The knight shouted at them. "FIND THE PRINCESS NOW!"  
  
"Yes sir!" Zidane replied as the two turned around and ran down the hallway.  
  
"Zidane I'm going to follow him, make sure he doesn't get into your way!" Blank said as he turned around.  
  
"Thanks Bro!"  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
(Half an hour later and onstage with the Princess)  
  
"Forgive me Marcus! For I still love my father." Garnet said as she clutched her stomach and fell to the floor.  
  
"Cornelia!" Both Baku and Marcus shouted.  
  
"Am I cursed? Never to feel her soft touch again, never to hear her sweet voice!?" Marcus said before turning his blade on himself, and falling to the floor.  
  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" A little boy in a blue coat and a tall hat shouted as a guard chased him onto the stage.  
  
"Get back here you runt!" The guard shouted.  
  
"I warned you!" The boy shouted as he conjured up a fire spell that caught the hood of Garnet's cloak on fire.  
  
"Hot! Hot!" Garnet screamed as she threw off her cloak, exposing her face to the crowd. "Oops!"  
  
"Come on!" Zidane said grabbing her arm. "Let's get out of here!"  
  
"Move out!" Baku ordered, and not a soul dared to disobey. The theater group rushed aboard the ship followed by Garnet and Steiner.  
  
"OH GAWD!" Someone in the crowd shouted as he turned and ran the queen launched a chain onto the back of the Prima Vista. Wood and other materials were hurled through the air. Parts of the airship were pulled off as the chain met its full length, then finally fell, taking the back railing and a chunk of the floor with it.  
  
The Prima Vista's speed slowed as the engines failed; as if clutching to the mist it managed to stay airborne until they had passed Alexandria's borders. Then hurled towards Gaia like a rock, landing in the Forbidden Forest.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
"GREAT!" Cinna shouted. "First we kidnap her! Then we go and kill her!" He shouted in a panicked and stressed voice. "We'll hang for sure!"  
  
"Don't talk like that!" Blank said shaking his shoulders, "I told you, Zidane the Knight and that Vivi kid are going to bring her back, I've got to get this to him." Blank said as he raised a scroll to prove his point.  
  
"So all I have to do is cover for you until you get back?"  
  
"Yeah, that's all." Blank said with a shrug, "No big deal."  
  
"Be careful."  
  
"Oh Cinna come on you worry wart!" Blank said started to walk off. "It's not like I'm going to turn to stone!"  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
"Man am I ever glad to see you!" Zidane said as Blank took the last shot at the monster holding Garnet captive, causing it to wither in agony and fall to the ground.  
  
"Help me!" Garnet shouted, and it wasn't long before she was helped down and they began to run.  
  
"ZIDANE!!"  
  
Zidane turned on his heel to see where the call had come from and was mortified to she one of the creatures grasping onto Blank as the wave of cold surged forth. With one last effort Blank threw the contents of his hand to Zidane who made a flimsy catch nodded and began running once more.  
  
"Not like I'm going to turn to stone . . ." Blank muttered to himself as he felt his whole body go numb and seize up, the side effects of pertrificaton.  
  
As Zidane summer-saluted the last few feet out of the forest the vines wrapped themselves around the trees on the outside before turning to stone, creating an impassible wall.   
  
There's chapter two I know it's shorter but I did warn you that it would be, hope you enjoyed it! 


	3. Meet Dagger

Big thanks for all those who read AND reviewed for the first and second chapters, I've decided to focus on this story for a while, and that means more updates. Still not very often but more than one every three months.   
  
Bahumat landed a little over a mile out of the village of Dali. Even from the distance Flare could see the changes, subtle for the time being but they were changes all the same. Men had gone from their fields to work in the new Hatchery. 'Oh yes the Hatchery, Aya had told her all about that. Bless that girl's soul.' Flare thought to herself.  
  
Flare smiled at the approaching figure, the young girl wore an expression of pure annoyance as she stopped gazing up at the massive dragon and his master. "You're late!" She said taking the offensive.  
  
"Better late then never." Flare replied and the girl replied it with a nod. "How's the Hatchery?"  
  
"As disgusting as ever before. They think they can just hatch us! Imagine, me, born from an egg!" She shuddered with dislike.  
  
"You weren't though, you're a prototype. One of what... four?" Flare asked trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"No, Kuja doesn't like even numbers . . . he says it give them a chance to even the score. I was the fourth, but I'll bet there was a fifth." Aya replied as she climbed onto Bahumat. Her baggy black pants and navy blue coat ruffled in the wind produced by Bahumat's strong wings as they took flight. Her golden yellow bangs framed her face. The rest of her hair was midnight black and pulled into low pigtails falling just past her shoulders.  
  
"So he doesn't, it's probably one of the things that Garland taught him. That's why Garland has three angels." Flare contemplated. "I wonder how many are loyal to him though . . . surely Zidane has no memory of him . . . I've never met the third and I doubt Kuja is."  
  
An angry glare flashed across Aya's face, right down to the depth of her yellow mage eyes. "Don't you dare speak of Kuja, you have no right! HE DID NOTHING TO YOU!"  
  
"This hatchery has really got you ticked off . . ." Flare said taking a breath and turning to face her eleven-year-old friend. "Let's look at this again. Kuja, gave you life, you're alive because of him." She stopped and took a deep breath. "But, he also ruined my town. He killed my friends, my sister, mother, and my father. He changed my life, and not for the better I think I have the right to talk about him."  
  
Aya nodded with tears stinging her eyes, Flare wasn't lying, and she had suffered more from the angel's hands. Soon they would reach the black mage village where Flare would leave her as planned. Then Flare would leave to meet up with Blaze again, and most likely Nadine. "How's Blaze doing?" Aya asked changing the subject.  
  
'What made her ask that?' Flare asked herself as she was forced to hold back tears. "He's doing great Aya, I'll tell him you asked after him though." 'Why did I lie to her about that? Why do I ask myself questions that I already know the answer to? I lied because I feel that if I accept him for dead, if I give up hope that he will be, and I'm not ready to give up on him.'  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
"Oh wow!" Garnet exclaimed as she dropped to her knees to closely examine a plant. "Everything here is so wonderful!"  
  
"And if we pass through here we avoid the mist." Zidane said gesturing towards the path.  
  
"As well as the monster it spawns." Steiner said as he watched Vivi fiddle with his gloves nervously. "Let's move on."  
  
"Oh please Steiner? Just an hour?" Garnet pleaded.  
  
"Rusty's right your highness." Zidane said as he offered her a hand up. Accepting his hand up she nodded in agreement. The four continued on for some time, until they came to the opening of the cave.  
  
"I feel so tired." Garnet said as she fell onto her knees and closed her eyes. "Need to sleep." Her words were drowned out by the wailing winds.  
  
"Princess!" Steiner said stumbling down the ledge to help her. "It's hard to mov-" Steiner to then stumbled and his breathing relaxed.  
  
"What's happening Mr. Zidane?" Vivi said. "I feel . . . strange." He said as he sat in the snow and closed his eyes.  
  
As his vision blurred Zidane felt himself falling into the snow. Lying there, unable to answer Vivi, and not wanting to, he wanted this . . . no, needed it. He needed to sleep; his life depended on this sleep. 'Let me sleep.' His eyelids were heavy, his vision . . . fading, dimming, blurring . . . gone.  
  
'What was that?' He heard it, in his unaware mind, his body slept on. 'Is it a bell?' Zidane's body seemed frozen in time, frozen by the spell of that bell in the distance. 'I've got to protect Garnet.' He attempted to move, to stand up. His legs ached; they wouldn't obey their owner. Trying something smaller, and arm, just move it a little bit to help himself up. To slide it underneath himself and push up. It didn't work.  
  
The bell was louder now, echoing all around him, echoing, echoing everywhere. The winds grew stronger, the cold became colder.  
  
He moved, a small movement . . . the twitch of his index finger, was all it took to break the spell. Still stiff, still sore and aching he started walking. He passed through the mouth of the cave into the sharp cold sting of the whistling winds. The bell rung one last time before a voice interrupted it.  
  
"How are you not dead!?" It was a high pitched voice echoed off the sheets of ice creating an eerie seen that raised hairs on the back of Zidane's neck.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!" Zidane shouted back not caring to answer the creature's question. It reminded him strangely of Vivi for some unknown reason . . . the appearance yes, but there was something else, something deeper than the look of the beast.  
  
"My orders are to destroy the company you travel in and return the Princess to her home in Alexandria!" The mage's voice croaked. His yellow eyes were slanted in anger and frustration; they held a deep dislike, a deep hate in them. He wore a long blue coat that matched the ratted hat, in one hand he held a staff and in the other a small bell.  
  
"You'll have to fight me first!" Zidane shouted drawing out his weapon.  
  
"I'll shred you to pieces!" He shouted. "Feel the fury of the first Black Waltz!" With a twisting motion of his left hand he summoned up a large glacier seal shattered the ice next to him.  
  
Zidane stumbled backwards as a strong flipper from the gigantic seal pushed him back. Zidane judged that they were hard blows, not the worst he'd encountered but he wouldn't be able to keep it up for very long. A cold passed both over and through him, he felt cold, like he was numb then it burned. He cast a glance at the Mage, it had of course been him, he'd never had much magic used on him, about five hits like that and he'd be drained. 'TWO ON ONE!' Zidane thought in anger.  
  
Running forward to take a slash at the seal he felt the now familiar magic of the blizzard being cast upon him. He's eyes grew wide with surprise as he thought of something. 'It took a lot out of the mage to summon that beast . . . he's drained now. I should take him out first.' Grabbing a potion bottle he threw it to the ground where it smashed. The magic in it radiated up towards him, like a warm summer's breeze he felt his energy, speed and endurance returning to him.  
  
The sudden movement of Zidane's change of direction caught the mage's attention, a quick glance to the ledge above him, wondering what may have caught the boy's attention. The quick slash of Zidane's dagger his the mage in his vulnerable side which remain unexposed until his last movement. A swift movement of his right arm brought the knob of his staff to make contact with Zidane's shoulder. In a burst of anger the dagger stabbed forth again, hitting it's mark. The mage fell with a gasp.  
  
"You shall fail . . ." His voice rasped. A look of shock and awe crossed his face as he spoke his last words. "Even your trance will not help in this fight." Then he faded into darkness and was gone. Zidane became aware that there was a pink glow around him. He had entered his second trance without knowing it.  
  
Smirking he turned towards the seal. Raising a knife into the air he let a single word escape his throat, unaware that it had, not knowing it was himself that spoke. The word "DYNE!" echoed dangerously off of the ice, lights began to glow. Dimly at first, then brighter, brighter still, a blinding flash and the lights went out. The seal was gone, the trance was gone.  
  
"Zidane? What were you doing out here?" It was Garnet's voice asking him, Zidane turned grinning with relief, now wasn't the time to mention the fight, and they had to move.  
  
"Just came around to make sure the coast was clear." Zidane said with a wink. "We should get going . . ." He said as they rounded a corner of the steep path and saw they had made it out of the ice caverns, and a village lay out below them. "Garnet, I think if we plan to enter that vil-"  
  
"The princess means to return to the castle!" Steiner bellowed knocking a blade out of Zidane's hand.  
  
"You're so dense Steiner, I don't intend on returning to the castle anytime soon." She said bending over and picking it up.  
  
"Will in that case, I believe you need a name to go by so you aren't recognized." Zidane said in a tone he hoped would impress her.  
  
"Very well then, what is this type of blade called?" She asked holding it up.  
  
"CAREFUL PRINCESS!" Steiner wheezed. "That's a dangerous weapon!"  
  
"It's a dagger. A bit longer than a knife but not quite as long as a short sword." He replied casually.  
  
"My new name is Dagger." She concluded.  
  
"And you can't talk so proper . . . try talking like Vivi here." He said gesturing to the young mage. "What do you say to this Vivi?"  
  
"Alrighty." Vivi said as he grabbed his hat to stop it from blowing away.  
  
"Alrighty then!" Dagger replied giggling. "This is quite . . . I mean really fun!"  
  
"You're doing great, well let's get down there, the village is called Dahli. We used to do summer performances there but not in the last year." Zidane stated as he led the way down the path.   
  
Thanks to anyone who bothered to read that yeah I know my writing isn't the best. If it was you'd be reading it in book instead of it being on fanfiction. Big thanks to all who read this!  
  
x-IwA-x 


End file.
